Hi,
My Anchorage-to-California flight (all VFR) is in progress. I crossed into Canada at Whitehorse a couple weeks ago, and crossed back into the US at Cut Bank a few days ago. I agree with others who said the border crossing procedure seems like a pain, but if you just research all the necessary things you need to do, and do them, it's nothing to worry about.
Flying *in* Canada is *almost* indistinguishable from flying in the states. There are a few minor differences: 1) Flight plans are required for all VFR flights. 2) They will activate your flight plan at your filed departure time automatically, assuming you have departed (rather than waiting for you to call and activate). 3) A "Class C" airspace there is more like a Class B here; you must get "cleared" to enter it. 4) Some (but not all) non-towered airports have what's called a "Mandatory Frequency", which is like an "almost tower"; there is someone on the radio who gives traffic advisories and weather updates, but you *must* call them up and announce your position, as you would at a normal non-towered airport, but you're addressing your transmissions to "Blahblah Radio" instead of "Blahblah Traffic", and someone on the ground will be acknowledging each transmission. It's like a Class-E-and-a-half. You know you're dealing with one of these when the chart has an "M" in front of the frequency, or they are listed in the Canada Supplement as "MF". When departing, these radio guys also like you to let them know when you are "leaving the zone" (meaning that 5-NM circle of Class E to the surface). 5) Restricted airspace is called Class F.
This has been my first trip through Canada, and it was GOBS of fun, and did not feel foreign at all.
--Kath
You've probably sold enough hoods and trunk lids in the last two weeks to just go up there and buy the plane!